Reversing a garage conversion

[kefkef]

This was an excerpt from the minutes of the meeting I had with the planners and my architect in May 2014:

"2. Even though the proposed garage is the same size as the existing, because you are proposing a change to the layout, the new garage needs to meet more recent design criteria and LCC (Leeds City Council) want a 3m x 6m garage (ours is currently 2.76 x 5.57m). This means that we need to move the side wall out by about 300mm/12” towards your existing side fence (in turn you get a slightly larger master bedroom/ensuite overhead). (NB - The re-positioning of the side wall means the existing foundations will definitely not be fully reusable and so new strip footings would be required – therefore there is probably no point in paying an engineer to come out and check the footings prior to construction.) "

 

[Lopéz]

This was an excerpt from the minutes of the meeting I had with the planners and my architect in May 2014:

"2. Even though the proposed garage is the same size as the existing, because you are proposing a change to the layout, the new garage needs to meet more recent design criteria and LCC (Leeds City Council) want a 3m x 6m garage (ours is currently 2.76 x 5.57m). This means that we need to move the side wall out by about 300mm/12” towards your existing side fence (in turn you get a slightly larger master bedroom/ensuite overhead). (NB - The re-positioning of the side wall means the existing foundations will definitely not be fully reusable and so new strip footings would be required – therefore there is probably no point in paying an engineer to come out and check the footings prior to construction.) "

6x3 metres is not stated in any Government planning regulations that I've ever seen. Garages don't usually need planning permission at all, and garages that are part of a house/attached to the house are treated as an extension, to which also planning consent is largely not needed.

New build garages are generally significantly smaller than 6x3 metres for a start!

 

[kefkef]

I can only go off what the planning dept stated and architect agreed. It may be it is some sort of local design criteria. Planning consent was needed as permitted development had been removed for the estate and there were stipulations around the garages as part of the original development (i.e. each house had to have 2 parking spots, one of which is the garage).